The Mégantic

This week we're going with a recipe in honor of the town of Lac Mégantic, which isn't far from where the Distillery is located in Saint-Romain. For those who don't know, it's THE place to visit. There's the lake (pleasant in both summer and winter) but also Mont Mégantic, which is great for hiking year-round, in addition to a charming little town. If you're coming from Quebec City, you'll pass through Beauceville and can refuel at the Distillery in Saint-Romain before heading out to have fun in the woods. If you're coming from Montreal, head through Sherbrooke then Stornoway, and once you're in Stornoway, it's almost embarrassing not to come and see us. And now that there's a "make a stop before destination" function on your phone, it's almost embarrassing not to stop by the Distillery. In short, we know it's a hidden gem in the mountains, and to show you, we sent the CØYØT there to see if he could come up with a signature cocktail. And friends, the results are MEMORABLE... a ridiculously good signature!

To make it, you'll need:

-2 oz of CØYØT - if you haven't tried it yet... you're missing out. Not just a good CØYØT that retrieves bottles when shot at and always asks for the door... no, no, we're talking about a mythical animal in a single bottle!

-1 oz of sweet Vermouth (we'll let you choose... we're not picky)

-3 drops of orange "bitters"

-1 cup of ice cubes (ideally Lac Mégantic ice if available)

-A "Luxardo" maraschino cherry

-A strip of orange zest

For the rest, it's not really complicated. You're going to put the CØYØT, Vermouth, and "bitters" with your ice in a nice measuring cup and stir it with a nice bar spoon for about 30 seconds. Then you'll filter it into a beautiful champagne coupe (not a flute, a coupe - not the same instrument) that you've chilled in the freezer a few hours beforehand. You can also serve it in a "rock" glass with a nice large ice cube. Finally, garnish it with your maraschino cherry and orange zest, and enjoy the beautiful starry sky of Mégantic!